Free Rough Stock by Cat Johnson

more coming. “People choose one person to fall in love with, Clay. One person to marry and be with for the rest of their lives. Not two. What kind of person am I that I love you both?”
    Heart in his throat, Clay touched her face. He noticed his hand trembled. Hearing a woman loved you could do that to a man, he guessed. Saying it back could shake a guy up too. “You’re a person with the biggest, most loving heart of anyone I know. That’s why I love you.”
    Clay’s voice had come out sounding as emotional as he felt. He slid his arm beneath her head and leaned in, kissing her deeply. Clay imagined he could taste himself on her tongue, but it didn’t matter. April was in his arms and she loved him. That was all that mattered. Yeah, she loved Mason too, but he’d just have to deal with that.
    She pulled back. “Don’t tell Mason about college. It’s something I have to tell him myself. Okay?”
    He nodded and lowered his mouth to hers again. Then he slid lower as his tongue trailed down her throat to nibble at the tip of one breast. Her back arched at his touch, pressing her body closer against him.
    Clay decided to be selfish and keep her to himself for a little bit longer tonight. He’d share her again, for as long as that was what she wanted, but for now, he wanted to pretend the woman he loved was all his.

Chapter Seven
     
    Mason stood watching Clay in the saddle atop one of the new horses in the ring. He was good. A natural. He moved with the horse’s motion rather than fighting it. His timing was perfect, almost as if he could read the animal’s mind and sense what it would do next. Watching him reaffirmed to Mason that his decision was the correct one.
    “Hey.”
    April’s soft voice behind him was as welcome as a cool rain on a hot summer night. Mason turned, and when he saw her shy smile, he returned it with a warm one of his own. They hadn’t really spoken since the night at the lake, but she was here now and that was all that mattered.
    “Hey, baby.” Glancing at the house to make sure no one was coming, Mason ran one hand down her arm, enjoying even this small contact. “I’ve missed you.”
    Her eyes lowered at first, but she finally raised them to meet his. “I’ve missed you too, Mason.”
    That knowledge made him smile more broadly. “I’m glad.”
    “Mason. I kind of need to talk to you about something.”
    That wiped the grin right off his face. He swallowed. “Um. Okay. When?”
    “Tonight, after my parents go to sleep. My room.”
    Mason nodded and then she turned and left. He was still frozen when Clay swung off the horse and came to stand next to him. “What did she want?”
    He finally broke his gaze from watching her walk away. “She says she needs to talk to me. Tonight.”
    Clay glanced at the house. “Did she say why?”
    “No, but I didn’t ask either. I was afraid to.” Mason let out a short laugh at himself.
    “Afraid of what?”
    “That’s she’s going to tell me she’s made a decision between the two of us. That she’s chosen you.”
    “Why would you think that?” Clay was acting strangely, speaking quieter than usual, almost carefully.
    “Because she didn’t ask you to come to her room tonight.” Mason squinted against the sun’s glare at Clay. “Did she?”
    Clay shook his head. “No.”
    Mason let out a long slow breath. “Shit.”
     
    ***
     
    The hours between afternoon chores and nightfall seemed to fly, the one time that Mason wished they would drag. Where normally he’d want to see April, tonight he dreaded it and what she would tell him with every fiber of his being.
    But the June sun had set, and Mason knew April’s parents would be in bed sleeping by nine, as usual. He had no excuse, so he told his parents he was going to Clay’s house, that he might spend the night there and then he headed down the road to April’s farm.
    If she dumped him, he could always come home again and say he couldn’t sleep at Clay’s and wanted his